Conflict& Negotiation

Instructor in charge: B.N.Srivastava, bnsri@iimcal.ac.in

Objectives and Contents:

We face conflicts both within as well as across organizations. As managers we very often
face interpersonal problems vis-à-vis our colleagues within a department on certain
matters concerning each of us. Conflicts across departments are seen to be widely
rampant and very often accompany damaging consequences. We get into conflicting
situations while transacting with other parties. Partner organizations form alliances
and networks, but sustaining such partnerships and alliances is rather bereft with
hassles and tension. Even as individuals we are required to handle various kinds of
dilemmas in our personal and family lives. .

Negotiation is often seen as a method of resolving conflicts and disputes. But in business
and other situations, negotiation is only a part of the larger process of relationship
building. How to analyze the situation? How to persuade the other party to one’s terms
and conditions? What different strategic options entail? When and what strategy and
tactic should you use? How to deal with the emotional outburst of your rival and how to
cool down temperature in a meeting? What characterizes successful negotiators? What
are the cultural differences across countries that may affect the perceptions and decisions
in negotiation situations? We will explore answers to these questions and more during the
class deliberations.

The topic of negotiations requires an understanding of some basic human processes.

These are interpersonal; processes, communication, influence process, information
processing, decision making and conflict handling processes. Some of these issues are
significant at the individual level and so will be handled as individual styles.

This course is totally based on interactive exercises and games. You will go through a
series of questionnaires and instruments to facilitate learning. Your active participation
and continued involvement in each tasks and exercises is the hallmark of your learning.
The more you activate yourself in the class, the more accomplished and skilled you
become.

Evaluation:
Keeping the objectives and methodology in mind, there will be 50% weightage for class
participation. Each class attendance will be recorded, but my subjective evaluation of
your active participation will be the criteria of evaluation. There will be one end-term
examination as per PGPEX exam system and invigilation. This will be an objective-type
exam with multiple choice, fill in the blanks, short answer questions, etc. End-term will
be of 50% weightage.

Registration:
The pedagogy demands that the class size be less than 25. The staff of the.PGPEX office
will allow you to register using lottery system through the good offices of a PGPEX Rep.
The only constraint is number not exceeding 25. No CGPA cut-off, no credit / audit
preference.

Readings:
To be given by the Instructor through PGPEX Office.

Books for reference:

Robert T. Moran & William G. Stripp Dynamics of Successful Business Negotiations.
JAICO Publishing Mumbai,1997

Daniel Dana. Conflict Resolution. McGraw-Hill NY, 2001

Roy Lewicki. Negotiations. McGraw-Hill, 2014